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UGF Fortitudo Bologna beat the Heidenheim Heidekoepfe 2-1 in extra innings on Sunday afternoon to win the 2010 European Champions Cup in Barcelona. They are successor to Danesi Nettuno, which had won the tournament in the past two years. Telemarket Rimini came in at third after defeating T&A San Marino in the bronze medal game.

Semi-Finals, Saturday, September 25:

UGF Fortitudo Bologna – T&A San Marino 3-2

UGF Fortitudo Bologna reached the championship game at the Final Four in Montjuic thanks to a 3-2 win over T&A San Marino on Saturday. A two-run single by Daniele Malengo in the bottom of the fifth broke a 1-1 tie and put Bologna ahead by two runs. San Marino’s Giovanni Pantaleoni cut the deficit to 2-3 with a RBI single in the eighth, but the Titans weren’t able to push another run over the plate. Jesus Matos (W 1-0) struck out twelve in 7 2/3 innings, allowing just two runs (1 ER) on four hits for the win. Henry Bonilla (L 0-1) surrendered four hits, three runs and six bb in six innings.

Telemarket Rimini – Heidenheim Heidekoepfe 1-4

The Heidenheim Heidekoepfe stunned Telemarket Rimini with a 4-1 victory in the second semi-final on Saturday. After the Pirates took a 1-0 lead on a RBI single by Giuseppe Signori in the second, Heidenheim scored two runs in the fourth and two in the eighth to seal the win. Robert Gruber tied the contest with a RBI single. A few moments later starting pitcher Enorbel Marquez-Ramirez (L 0-1) threw the ball away on a bunt single by Andy Janzen, which brought Matt Pali over the plate. Pali made it a three-run game with a two-run shot in the eighth. Martin Dewald (W 1-0) went the distance, issuing just four hits, a run and four walks in nine innings. Marquez-Ramirez gave up four runs (3 ER) on eight hits in eight innings. He struck out eleven, but was charged with the loss anyway.

Bronze Medal Game, Sunday, September 26:

T&A San Marino – Telemarket Rimini 3-4

In another duel between Italian Baseball League clubs in Barcelona, Telemarket Rimini prevailed 4-3 over T&A San Marino in the bronze medal game on Sunday morning. Three runs in the top of the seventh thanks to a RBI double by Mario Chiarini (4-5) and a two-run single by Filippo Crociati erased a 1-3-deficit to complete a comeback win. San Marino had taken the lead in the bottom of the sixth on a RBI single by Ulrich Snijders and a sac fly by Riccardo Suardi. Sandy Patrone (RIM) allowed two hits and a walk in three strong innings. Luca Martignoni (SMA) conceded eight hits, a run and a bb in five innings. Brian Orrizzi (W 1-0) received the win, Michele Meschini (L 0-1) the loss.

Championship Game, Sunday, September 26:

UGF Fortitudo Bologna – Heidenheim Heidekoepfe 2-1 (10)

The final at the European Champions Cup Final Four in Barcelona turned out to be a thrilling pitcher’s duel with UGF Fortitudo Bologna celebrating a 2-1 victory after ten innings. After neither Markus Winkler (HEI), Cody Cillo nor Fabio Milano (both BOL) had allowed a run in the first nine frames, the IBAF Extra-Inning Tiebreaker had to determine the winner. Heidenheim went first and broke the scoreless tie when Chris Beck drove in Johannes Schaeffler with a single. They loaded the bases with no outs afterwards, but failed to plate some insurance runs.

The bottom of the frame didn’t start promising for Bologna, as Daniele Malengo struck out trying to advance the runners placed on first and second. It also didn’t look good when Jairo Ramos Gizzi hit a groundball to first base. But after Juan Carlos Infante was forced out at second on a throw by first baseman Robert Gruber, shortstop Ryan Lilly threw the ball away trying to complete the double play. Livinston Santaniello crossed the plate during the play to tie the contest. It wasn’t over. After an intentional walk to Eddy Garabito, Juan Angrisano singled to right field to drive in Ramos Gizzi and to end the game in walk-off style.

Winkler (L 0-1) took the loss, allowing four hits, two unearned runs and three walks in 9 2/3 innings. He struck out three and needed just 98 pitches to go the distance. Cillo had issued two hits and two bb in eight scoreless innings. Milano pitched a scoreless ninth. Victor Moreno (W 1-0) picked up the win. 935 people were in attendance in Montjuic on a sunny Sunday afternoon.